Arcachon parking really took us by surprise. We had not really realized how popular the area was till we arrived. Unfortunately for us, it was a long weekend so there were loads of tourists everywhere which meant that parking in general was scarce.
One of our biggest challenges when we traveled through Europe was finding parking. Well… Let me rephrase that. Parking is available but good and safe parking always comes with a price. Shawn would always do his research the day before and mark out a couple of reliable spots before starting.
No matter how busy the city and the bay get, know that parking in Arcachon is doable. You may just have to walk a couple of 100 meters extra. Honestly, it isn’t too bad because the whole city center is a lovely place to walk in and we just got ice creams to beat the heat while we enjoyed the ambiance.
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Free Arcachon Parking In The City Center
As you can see, the Arcachon city area is super pretty!
Wondering if there is free parking in Arcachon city? Yes there is. You will find this along the streets quite easily. What you will not find is a free spot. Unless you are very lucky that is. If you want to catch free parking close to the city center you need to head here early morning or later in the evening. Otherwise you will be circling the block a lot.
If it is the peak season or a long holiday, I would suggest calling it quits from the beginning. Many people cycle in on rented cycles because of this.
Paid Parking In Arcachon City Center
If you are going to pay and park, I would recommend parking at Parking Indigo Arcachon Centre Ville – Plage. This is a paid parking spot with underground parking. It is a little tight to get in if you have a bigger car but definitely doable. It is one of the best parking spots we have used till date. Very clean, decent sized parking spots and it also has washrooms which were clean. As with most restrooms in the parking lots, you need your parking ticket to enter.
Aside from this the parking lot was centrally located so it was a short walk to the city center and the beach which made it really easy with the kids.
Parking In Other Locations In Arcachon
Finding Arcachon parking outside the city is pretty easy.
In general even though we were in Arcachon during a long weekend, we did not have any issues with parking. We paid for parking when we visited the city center and the Dunes du Pilat but other than that we parked for free everywhere. Most of the beaches have accessible and easy parking spots which may probably get full during summer.
And there you have it. This is everything that I know about parking in Arcachon.
Parking during peak season is definitely difficult especially in the center of the city. But parking in Arcachon is still doable if you are willing to walk a bit. Plus there is plenty of parking next to the beaches that are further off.